New here?
Welcome
We created this page to help you get to know us a little, to help us get to know you, and to answer the practical stuff so you can walk in without wondering where to go or what happens next.
Get to Know FPC, By the Numbers
67
Years the Friendship Fund has been quietly helping Wake County neighbors make rent and keep the lights on. Started in 1959, still going strong.
52
Tuesdays a year you can find a new episode of Enough for Today waiting for you, our short podcast made for the ordinary parts of the week.
46
Mission partners we work alongside, from a food pantry down the street to a fruit tree training program in Madagascar.
12
Households the Friendship Fund helps in a typical week, and roughly a hundred more we wish we could.
6
Adult Sunday school classes meet every week. No two look quite alike, so there’s room to find the one that fits.
4
Ways to walk through our doors on a Sunday morning. Pick whichever’s closest.
1
Downtown building that once, for a few years, doubled as the seat of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Sunday Morning Schedule
The early worship service begins at 8:30 a.m., Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m., and worship follows at 11 a.m.
What Sunday Morning Looks Like
When you take a seat, you’ll be handed a bulletin. Think of it as your guide for the next hour. It walks you through the service in order, so you’ll always know what’s happening and what, if anything, is expected of you. Some parts invite you to stand, sing, or respond aloud, and others are simply for listening. The bulletin will let you know which is which, so there’s no guessing involved.
Worship here is traditional in shape, with music, scripture, and prayer woven through the hour. You’ll usually hear an organ, often a full choir, and on some Sundays a handbell choir or orchestral instruments as well. You don’t need to have grown up in a church like this one to follow along. Come as you are, sit where you like, and take the parts of the morning that are meaningful to you.
If you have children with you, they’re welcome in worship too, with a nursery, Sunday school, and Children’s Church available throughout the morning. You can find the full details on our Children’s page.
After the Service
Once worship ends, most people make their way to the Lisa Ham Gathering Space, through the three large archways off the sanctuary, to talk, get coffee, and meet people. If you stop by, someone will likely say hello and send you home with a small welcome gift, just to say we’re glad you came.
Communion
Communion is offered monthly during Sunday worship, along with a few liturgical services throughout the year like Maundy Thursday and Christmas Eve. It’s open to all professing Christians in attendance, regardless of denomination, so if you’d like to take part, you’re welcome to.
Getting Here
Nearby Parking
FPC sits right in the heart of downtown Raleigh, which means parking works a little differently than a church out in the suburbs. Two parking decks sit within easy walking distance, and street parking is free on Sundays. Our own lot is reserved for those who need it most, so if you’re able to walk a little further, we’d ask that you leave those closer spots open and park in a deck, on the street, or in one of our double spaces instead.
Raleigh Municipal Building Parking Deck: Enter the garage from either McDowell Street or Morgan Street.
SmartPark – 150 Garage: Enter the garage off of Wilmington Street, park, then exit on Fayetteville Street to continue walking towards FPC Raleigh.
Finding Your Way In
Once you’ve parked, there are a few ways into the building. Pick whichever is closest to you:
- Sanctuary door on Salisbury Street and Morgan Street
- Main entrance on Salisbury Street, which leads into the main lobby
- Memorial Hall entrance on Salisbury Street
- The parking lot entrance into the main lobby
- An accessible ramp from the parking lot
Someone will be near the door to point you in the right direction, so if you’re turned around once you’re inside, just ask.
Let Us Know You're Coming
If you’d like, tell us you’re on your way before Sunday. It’s not required, and slipping in quietly is always fine too, but if you let us know ahead of time, someone will be watching for you and can make the morning a little easier, whether that means walking you to a seat, answering a question you’d rather ask beforehand, or just making sure a familiar face greets you at the door.
